How do I use "Search Query" for nontrivial searches?

[JoeFriedchicken]

After a few years in the community, this is my _first_ question to the boards 😉

In speaking with a colleague today, I learned about an NI forum feature that would be useful for me. When I tried to configure it, I then learned that I didn't know how to use it. When I tried to learn how to use it, I further learned that it wasn't fully documented. So, I'd like some clarification 🙂

The feature in question is "Search Query" which will send you an email when a forum search matches your query. What I don't know is:

1. What are the rules (syntax) for search queries? For example, I would like to search for single words, all the words that I specify, as well as exact phrases. How do I differentiate between multiword queries and exact phrase queries?
2. Is it possible to have more than one Search Query?
3. If so, how do you delineate them? Would I use commas, a new line, something else?

I'm asking because the available (and discoverable) documentation doesn't mention what to do when you want more than one Search Query. The help text on the subscription page [1] makes me think that only one query is possible, and says a Search Query:

Sends you mail every time a message matching your query is submitted. Search queries take up to 15 minutes to take effect. Saving a blank query will disable this feature and will stop any mail from being sent.

The other place I tried was the NI Forum FAQ [2], which makes me think that more than one query is possible:

If you add a board, thread, message, or search term to your subscriptions, the system will send you an e-mail every time someone posts to the board, or replies to the message or thread. If you prefer not to receive an e-mail for your subscriptions, you can subscribe to the RSS feed of a board, thread, user, or search term.

The FAQ goes on about what to do with board, thread, and message subscriptions, but doesn't say anything more about search subscriptions.

The last place I looked was on the search results page itself. In the blue header that precedes the results, there's a link on the far left that says "Search Options" with a single option that says "Subscribe to this search's RSS Feed". While I could subscribe and use an RSS reader, I really would prefer email. I suppose if only one Search Query is possible, then this will be my workaround.

As a comment, why does the Search Options menu not also have a "Subscribe to this search" option, which would add another entry in the Search Query box? This is a noticeably different interface than the Thread Options menu.

[1] Subscriptions & Bookmarks
http://forums.ni.com/ni/user_subscriptions

[2] Frequently Asked Questions
http://forums.ni.com/ni/help_faq

[Laura F. · Accepted solution]

Hi Joe,

Thanks for all of the questions and congrats on posting your first question!

Unfortunately I think all of your questions come from the valid assumption that the search query functionality is more robust than it actually is.  The search query functionality really only serves a single purpose and that is to email you when your phrase has been posted to the forums.  For me, I use it to email me when my name is mentioned in the forums.  It serves this purpose well since I have it set up to work off just a single search term.  However I find that multiple word phrases are combined with an OR which is not as useful.  The search query does not adhere to any common search syntax that you would expect (I believe we are the only community that uses this feature so it has not been improved upon).

The best way to set up both multiple word queries and multiple different queries is to use the RSS feed as you mentioned.  This way you can tailor your search very specifically using different advanced search options and subscribe to them all in one feed reader without constantly getting emails.  The search query emails do not adhere to the digest subscription settings.  I find that the RSS feeds work very well for searches and I am fond of using them, but I do use an RSS Reader for many things so it is not out of my normal workflow.

Thank you for reading the Forum FAQ.  I've done some work to improve it but I think it has a long way to go and it's good to know that people read it 🙂

Regards,

Laura
Web Support & Operations
National Instruments

[JoeFriedchicken]

Hi Laura,

Thanks for the detailed explanation. I really appreciate learning what goes on behind the curtain, and concrete reasons for cause-and-effect always help me understand. Thanks 😄